Tehran, Kabul to Bolster Energy , Transportation Cooperation
Tehran, Kabul to Bolster Energy , Transportation Cooperation
Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian said on Monday that Tehran and Kabul will explore ways to boost cooperation in the energy and transportation sectors in the upcoming joint economic commission meeting.

Tehran, Kabul to Bolster Energy , Transportation Cooperation

IRAN NEWS ECONOMIC DESK

TEHRAN – Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian said on Monday that Tehran and Kabul will explore ways to boost cooperation in the energy and transportation sectors in the upcoming joint economic commission meeting.

Iran and Afghanistan are due to hold their 6th Joint Economic Committee meeting in Kabul on October 25-27.

Ardakanian said, “The cooperation in the projects such as Herat-Khaf railroad, customs cooperation and border markets as well as energy ties will be addressed during the upcoming meeting.”

Since the chairmanship of the meeting has been assigned to the Energy Ministry, he added, issues such as cooperation in the field of renewable energies will also be discussed during the session.

He said that Iran and Afghanistan can also cooperate on renewable energies which require a joint investment scheme.

The minister said that officials from the two countries will do their best to give a boost to Herat-khaf railway project and reach the final point.

Afghan officials say that the railway project will be inaugurated within the next few months which they say will be a breakthrough in trade relations between the two neighboring countries.

Construction of Harat-Khaf railway, which is underway in four parts and is 193 km, began in 2007.

Meanwhile Chairman of Afghanistan’s Peace Council Abdullah Abdullah, for his part, said that if peace is restored in Afghanistan, the country can take advantage more of these cooperation opportunities.

He added that both countries can cooperate on wind energies and both countries are studying the grounds for cooperation in this field.

He expressed hope Afghanistan’s internal and financial problems would be resolved soon.

Earlier in October, Ardakanian held talks with Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar through video conference on the development of cooperation in various energy sectors while considering issues that could be raised in the joint committee meeting.